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Board index » Instrument Restoration and Repair

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Conor_Searl
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2020 2:45 pm 
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I've got a customer who's brought me their Deering Goodtime banjo. They want me to pull the frets above 17 and add a scoop for playing clawhammer banjo. In theory I get it and I'm comfortable with doing the work, but I'm stumped by one thing. I'm not sure the geometry will play out the way they want.

This banjo's fret board is even with the head of the banjo, if I pull the frets and scoop the board, the scoop will be below the head of the banjo. Every banjo I've seen with a scoop built in from the factory shows the scoop being even with the banjo head, and the fret board sitting proud of the head, which would require a taller bridge (I guess?). Anyway not sure if any of this is an issue, but thought I'd ask. Thoughts?
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Chris Pile
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2020 5:49 pm 
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Are you talking about scalloping the fretboard?

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Conor_Searl
PostPosted: Thu May 28, 2020 11:27 am 
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Chris Pile wrote:
Are you talking about scalloping the fretboard?


No, not really. A lot of old time clawhammer players like to frail over the fretboard instead of only over the banjo head itself. So some open back banjos come with the last 5 or 6 frets removed, and about an 1/8" of the fret board removed to give clearance for the frailing hand.

Something like this...


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Chris Pile
PostPosted: Thu May 28, 2020 12:25 pm 
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OH. I was unaware of the terminology for that.

Probably because I hate working on banjos.

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These users thanked the author Chris Pile for the post (total 2): fumblefinger (Thu May 28, 2020 9:16 pm) • Conor_Searl (Thu May 28, 2020 12:49 pm)
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DanKirkland
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 2020 11:10 pm 
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I have done it before. It was an ice cream scoop and it was flying at about 50mph. Didn't really end up "on" the banjo as much as "through" it.

In all honesty I would think it'd be easy enough. Just make a template for the shape you want, defret and make sure.you won't hit anything critical. Route the wood away and finish up with sanding?
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Conor_Searl
PostPosted: Sat May 30, 2020 12:48 pm 
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DanKirkland wrote:
I have done it before. It was an ice cream scoop and it was flying at about 50mph. Didn't really end up "on" the banjo as much as "through" it.

In all honesty I would think it'd be easy enough. Just make a template for the shape you want, defret and make sure.you won't hit anything critical. Route the wood away and finish up with sanding?


Yeah the woodworking part of it seems simple enough. As a guitar guy it was more the unique banjo perspective I was looking for. Kind of like how handy woodworker types seem to think epoxy is the proper way to fix anything broken on a guitar. Anyway there were a lot of super helpful people over on the "Banjo Hangout" forum.

Here's a link to the conversation I had over there for anyone who's interested...

https://www.banjohangout.org/topic/364441
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